Container for paper napkins



April 3, 1951- R. B. STEVENS 2,547,892

CONTAINER FOR PAPER NAPKINS Filed oct. 7, 1947- Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT orEicE coNTAiNER Foa PAPER NAPKINs Robert 18. stevens, Greenwich, N. Y.

' Application octcbci- 7, 1947,'scria1 Nc. 778,358

4 Claims. l

My invention relates to packages or containers and particularly to a box or container for paper napkins having a readily removable top which, when detached from the container will transform it from a closed box to a basketlike holder entirely open at the top from which the napkins may be readily withdrawn without wrinkling.

The principal objectl of my invention is to provide a simple box or container for paper napkins which may be sealed with the napkins therein and sold as a sealed package but which is so designed that the entire top of the box or container may be readily detached from the main body thereof to transform the sealed package into an open, basket-like container of attractive appearance from Which the napkins may be readily withdrawn.

I accomplish this object by constructing my carton in the manne-r described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the paper blank from which the carton is formed;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the completed container; it being apparent from Fig. 1 that the rear elevation is substantially identical therewith;

Fig. 3 is a side view;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the container with the top thereof removed showing the napkins therein; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a detail.

Referring to the drawingsl is a paperboard blank from which the container is formed by folding it as described .below. The blank, as illustrated, comprise-s a front panel 2, a back panel 3, and narrower side panels il and 5, all of which are of a single ply in thickness throughout. The back panel 3 is provided with a flap 6 adapted to be infolded and adhesively secured to the back of the side panel 4 when the blank is folded into box form, as shown at l in Fig. 5. At the top, the panels 2, 3, 4 and'5 are provided with aps 8, 9, I0 and II, respectively; and at the bottom, with flaps I2, I3, I and I5, respectively, adapted to be infolded, and the iiaps 8 and 9, and I2 and I3, respectively, adhesively secured together in folded relation to seal the container in the usual manner, all of which is well understood in the art.

To facilitate forming the container, the blank is scored along the lines I6, I'I, I8, I9, 20, 2l, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 2 between the panels and between the iiaps and the panels and, in forming the container, the blank is folded along these scored lines. V

In addition to scoring the blank as described above, the front and back panels are provided with lines of weakness by'perforatingr them along the lines 23 and 29, respectively, adjacent the top thereof, and the blankis also provided with lines of vweakness by similar perforations in or closely adjacent the scores 23 and 22, as indicated at 3S and 3i, where the flaps IE; and II at the top of the container join the side panels #i and 5. The lines of weakness 28 and 29 in the front and back panels extend from one top corner of the panel to the other top corner, or, in other words, between the points of intersection of the front and back panels with the side panels at the top thereof, but intermediate the corners they are substantially spaced from the top edge of the panel.

When the purchaser wishes to open the package, it is necessary only to squeeze the portions of the front and back panels together by placing the hand over the top of the package with the thumb on or near one or the spots 32 or 33 and the fingers near the spot on the other side of the box. Pressure at these points will effect a rupture of the front and back panelsl along vthe perforated lines 23 and 2li, respectively,

whereupon the entire top of the box, including the flaps Ill and H, which are understood to be adhesively secured to the iiaps 8 and 9, as pointed out above, may be torn from the body Yof the container alongA the lines 28, 28, 22 and 29` to form a basket-like holder, as illustarted in Fig. 5. The napkins 34 project above the remaining portion of the front 2 of the container, as shown in Fig. 5, and may be readily withdrawn from the basket.

While I preferto perforate the front and back panels as illustrated in the drawing, the particular direction in which the lines 28 and 29 run from one top corner to the other top corner of the front and back panels, respectively, it not too important. However, it very essential that the perforations start and end in the top corners of the panels, and that, intermediate these corners, the lines of perforation extend down into the body of the panel sufficiently to expose the sides of the napkins adjacent the top edges thereof when the topl of the container is removed, as'shown in Fig. 5. Thus the napkins, which are very exible, are laterally supported at their upper corners and prevented from becoming dog-eared because they are E confined between the top corner portions of the front, back and side panels; but they may be readily withdrawn from the container because the central portions thereof extend above the central portions of the front and back panels.

What I claim is:

1. A blank adapted to form a container for flat folded paper nap-kinsand comprising an elongated strip of flexible material having two, comparatively wide panels adapted to form the front and back of said container, and two, comn p-aratively narrow panels adapted to form the sides thereof, and aps attached to the ends of said panels adapted to be folded over and adhesively secured together to form closures for the top and bottom of said container; said blank being provided at the top thereof with a substantially continuous line of weakness including portions extending from top corner to top corner of the side-forming panels of said blank and portions extending from top corner to top corner of the front and back-forming panels, respectively, of said blank; the last mentioned portions of said lines of weakness extending downwardly from the top corners of said front and back-forming panels a substantial distance into the Vbodi7 of said panels; whereby, the entire top of said container, when formed from said blank, including portions of the front and back panels of substantial size at the top thereof may be readily pulled off to form an open top receptacle in which substantial portions of the sides of said napkins at the top thereof will be exposed at the front and rear of said container to facilitate their withdrawal therefrom.

2. A package of paper napkins comprising a plurality of said napkins folded into rectangular form. and arranged in side-byside relation, and a closed, paper board container therefor, including front, back and side panels va single ply in thickness substantially throughout and having naps thereon folded over and adhesively secured together to form the top and bottom closures of said container in which said napkins are supported on edge on the bottom thereof; said front and back panels of said container being parallel to said folded napkins and each being provided with a substantially continuous line of weakness extending through the four top corners thereof and, intermediate the top corners of said front and back panels, through Zones substantially below the top edges of said front and back panels whereby to eXp-ose a substantial portion of both sides of the body of said napkins when the portions of said front and back panels lying above said lines of weakness are removed by rupturing said panels along said lines; whereby said portions of said front and back panels and the flaps attached thereto may be readily removed from said container by squeezing them towards each other to effect a. rupture of said panels along said lines of weakness and, thereafter, merely lifting them from the top of said container.

3. A blank adapted to form a container for paper napkins and comprising a unitary, elongated strip of flexible material having panels adapted to form the front, back, and sides of said container, and flaps attached to the ends of said panels adapted to be folded over to form the ends of said container; each of said front and back panels being provided, adjacent the end thereof adapted to form the top of said container with a continuous line of weakness extending downwardly from each-corner thereof a substantial distance into the body thereof; whereby the opposed portions of said front and back forming panels, respectively, adjacent the tops thereof, and the flaps attached thereto, may be readily pulled from said container, when formed from said blank, to provide an opening through which said napkins may be withdrawn without wrinkling.

4. A paper carton adapted to contain a plurality of folded napkins and comprising front, back, and side panelsand aps on the top and bottom of said panels adapted to be infolded and adhesively secured together to form closures for the top and bottom of said carton; each of said front and back panels being a single ply in thickness throughout and conforming substantially in size to one of said folded napkins; each of said front and back panels being provided with aline of weakness substantially spaced from the top edge thereof in the central portion of the panel and extending therefrom to the top corners of said panel: and each of said side panels being provided with a line of weakness extending between the top corners thereof; whereby the portions of said front and back panels above said lines of weakness, and the flaps secured thereto, may be detached from said carton to effect an opening thereof by simply forcing said portions together by pressure thereon in zones adjacent said lines of weakness to rupture said panels along said lines and, thereafter, merely lifting said portions from said carton.

ROBERT B. STEVENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 637,397 Lynch Nov. 21, 1899 1,656,919 Marsh Jan. 24, 1928 1,695,143 Drapean Dec. 11, 1928 2,020,799 Randall Nov. 12, 1935 2,152 079 Mott Mar. 28, 1939 2,358,923 Guyer Sept. 26, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 30,627 Denmark Oct. 28, 1922 

